n of liberating Clara from the bond of her
engagement,--if he really had any feeling that it behoved him not
to involve her in the worldly losses which had come upon him,--he
was taking a very bad way of carrying out his views in that respect.
Instead of confessing the comfort which he had received from that
letter, and holding her close to his breast while he did confess it,
he should have stood away from her--quite as far apart as he had done
from the countess; and he should have argued with her, showing her
how foolish and imprudent her letter had been, explaining that it
behoved her now to repress her feelings, and teaching her that peers'
daughters as well as housemaids should look out for situations which
would suit them, guided by prudence and a view to the wages,--not
follow the dictates of impulse and of the heart. This is what he
should have done, according, I believe, to the views of most men and
women. Instead of that he held her there as close as he could hold
her, and left her to do the most of the speaking. I think he was
right. According to my ideas woman's love should be regarded as
fair prize of war,--as long as the war has been carried on with due
adherence to the recognized law of nations. When it has been fairly
won, let it be firmly held. I have no opinion of that theory of
giving up.

"You knew that I would not abandon you! Did you not know it? say that
you knew it?" said Clara, and then she insisted on having an answer.

"I could hardly dare to think that there was so much happiness left
for me," said Herbert.

"Then you were a traitor to your love, sir; a false traitor." But
deep as was the offence for which she arraigned him, it was clear
to see that the pardon came as quick as the conviction. "And was
Emmeline so untrue to me also as to believe that?"

"Emmeline said--" and then he told her what Emmeline had said.

"Dearest, dearest Emmeline! give her a whole heart-load of love from
me; now mind you do,--and to Mary, too. And remember this, sir; that
I love Emmeline ten times better than I do you; twenty times--,
because she knew me. Oh, if she had mistrusted me--!"

"And do you think that I mistrusted you?"

"Yes, you did; you know you did, sir. You wrote and told me so;--and
now, this very day, you come here to act as though you mistrusted me
still. You know you have, only you have not the courage to go on with
the acting."

And then he began to defend himself, showing how ill it w